RESUMO
Our study aimed to investigate the effects of the polysaccharide-rich extract of Phragmites rhizoma (PEP) against water immersion restraint (WIR) stress and forced swimming-induced fatigue. Exposure to WIR stress significantly increased the ulcer index, bleeding score, the weight of the adrenal gland, blood glucose concentrations, total cholesterol, cortisol, and creatine kinase (CK). The weight of the spleen decreased significantly. In addition, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) were significantly upregulated by WIR stress. The antioxidative factors such as glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the stomach were decreased by WIR stress. Alterations induced by WIR stress were effectively reversed by pretreatment with PEP. The swimming endurance capacity of mice was significantly prolonged by the oral administration of PEP. Swimming-induced fatigue significantly reduced the body weight; however, the injection of PEP inhibited the decrease of body weight. The PEP-treated group had significantly lower CK levels in plasma, an indicator of muscle damage. These results indicated that PEP has anti-stress and anti-fatigue effects, which are mediated by suppressing the hyperactivation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, and antagonism of the oxidative damages induced by WIR stress and prolonged swimming times.
Assuntos
Fadiga/tratamento farmacológico , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Poaceae/química , Polissacarídeos/administração & dosagem , Animais , Catalase/metabolismo , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Fadiga/metabolismo , Fadiga/fisiopatologia , Glutationa/metabolismo , Glutationa Peroxidase/metabolismo , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos ICR , Peroxidase/metabolismo , Extratos Vegetais/química , Polissacarídeos/química , Rizoma/química , Estresse Fisiológico/efeitos dos fármacos , Superóxido Dismutase/metabolismo , NataçãoRESUMO
It has been described that Humulus japonicus has potential antituberculosis and anti-inflammatory effects. The antiaging activity of H. japonicus extract (HJE) was also examined not only in yeast but also in human fibroblast cells. We evaluated the protective effect of HJE on hepatotoxicity in this study. We demonstrated the expression of antioxidative enzyme and cytokines in plasma. The vehicle control group received orally administered normal saline. Acute hepatotoxicity rat model was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (30 µg/kg) and d-galactosamine (D-GalN) (500 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection. The positive control group received orally administered silymarin (10 mg/kg). Three HJE groups received 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg. The blood samples were prepared to evaluate malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) level to examine oxidative stress, and hepatic tissue was assayed for myeloperoxidase (MPO). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activities were also assayed to examine liver cell viability. Pretreatment with HJE decreased levels of AST, ALT, MDA, MPO, and TNF-α and increased levels of SOD and CAT compared with the LPS/D-GalN-treated group. These results suggested that HJE has the potential to reduce oxidative damage and inflammatory reactions in LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury in the rat model. It can also increase survival rate in LPS/D-GalN-induced hepatotoxicity rat models.
Assuntos
Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/prevenção & controle , Galactosamina/efeitos adversos , Humulus/química , Lipopolissacarídeos/efeitos adversos , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Substâncias Protetoras/administração & dosagem , Alanina Transaminase/genética , Alanina Transaminase/metabolismo , Animais , Aspartato Aminotransferases/genética , Aspartato Aminotransferases/metabolismo , Catalase/metabolismo , Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/enzimologia , Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/etiologia , Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/metabolismo , Humanos , Fígado/efeitos dos fármacos , Fígado/enzimologia , Masculino , Malondialdeído/metabolismo , Estresse Oxidativo/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Superóxido Dismutase/genética , Superóxido Dismutase/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/genética , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismoRESUMO
Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae) is traditionally used in Korea to treat skin diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of a X. strumarium stem extract on melanin synthesis. It inhibited melanin synthesis in a concentration-dependent manner, but it did not directly inhibit tyrosinase, the rate-limiting melanogenic enzyme, and instead downregulated microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase expression. MITF, the master regulator of pigmentation, is a target of the Wnt signaling pathway, which includes glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß) and ß-catenin. Hence, the influence of X. strumarium stem extract on GSK3ß and ß-catenin was further investigated. X. strumarium induced GSK3ß phosphorylation (inactivation), but the level of ß-catenin did not change. Moreover, a specific GSK3ß inhibitor restored X. strumarium-induced melanin reduction. Hence, we suggest that X. strumarium inhibits melanin synthesis through downregulation of tyrosinase via GSK3ß phosphorylation.
Assuntos
Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/metabolismo , Melanócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Fator de Transcrição Associado à Microftalmia/antagonistas & inibidores , Monofenol Mono-Oxigenase/antagonistas & inibidores , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Xanthium/química , Animais , Linhagem Celular Transformada , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Regulação para Baixo/efeitos dos fármacos , Quinase 3 da Glicogênio Sintase/genética , Glicogênio Sintase Quinase 3 beta , Melaninas/genética , Melaninas/metabolismo , Melanócitos/citologia , Melanócitos/metabolismo , Camundongos , Fator de Transcrição Associado à Microftalmia/genética , Fator de Transcrição Associado à Microftalmia/metabolismo , Monofenol Mono-Oxigenase/genética , Monofenol Mono-Oxigenase/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Pigmentação/genética , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Caules de Planta/química , Via de Sinalização Wnt/efeitos dos fármacos , Via de Sinalização Wnt/genética , beta Catenina/genética , beta Catenina/metabolismoRESUMO
We investigated the role of ascorbic acid on the redox status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In the plasma of diabetic rats, the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid was significantly decreased as compared with normal control. Ascorbic acid supplementation increased the reduced and total ascorbic acid contents as compared with diabetic control. In the rutin-treatment group, reduced and total contents of ascorbic acid were significantly decreased, however, the ratio of reduced/total contents of ascorbic acid had no difference as compared with diabetic rats. In the insulin-treatment group, this ratio is not significantly different as compared with diabetic control. However, in the insulin plus ascorbic acid treatment group, reduced form and the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid were significantly increased as compared with diabetic control. In addition, we measured the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the plasma of diabetic rats. The contents of MDA was increased as compared with normal control, however, in insulin-treatment group, the contents of MDA was decreased as compared with diabetic rats. Ascorbic acid had no effects on the increases of MDA in diabetic rats. In conclusion, plasma ascorbic acid level and its reduced/total ratio reflects the status of the oxidative stress in the diabetic rats. Supplement of ascorbic acid did not correct the ratio of the reduced/ total ascorbic acid. However, supplement of insulin and ascorbic acid corrected the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid.